Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1887-01-13
INSANE ILLUSIONS.
Illusions and Ballucinations Of fMeianchoil

Illusions and Ballucinations ofAIeianchoilc
aud Demented Persons.
Hallucinaiions and illusions of hear
ing are most common among the IN
sane. Voices are most commonly
heard. In the melancholic these voices
are of reproach or menace, or voices
that command him to commit SOM
atrocious act. The followingis is good
'xample of pure hallucinations Of
hearing: A young man had not spoken
a word for six months, nor performed
'ihy voluntary act One day he seized
4 bottle and threw it at the head of an
attendant. After this he remained
quiet and immovable and recovered in
\ few months. When asked why he
lad thrown the bottle he said: "Be-
ouse | heard voice saying: Kill
omebody and you will be delivered.
did not kill the man. therefore MY lot
could not be altered, and remained
luiet and immovable Moreover, the
same voice repeated without ceasing
Move and you will be dead Tins
warning was the cause of my immobil
ity."
Hallucinations and illusions of smell
and taste are not so common, yet they
occur, and may be Of pleasant or un-
pleasant nature, depending upon the
disposition of the person. From these
nften arise the ideas of insane patients
hat they are being compelled to
breathe noxious gases, as chloroforn
or ether, or ideas that they are being
poisoned by articles introduced into
heir food. Again, to certain of them
\ plain hospital fare may seem as the
ambrosia of the gods, and plain, weak
water rs sweet nectar.
With regard to feeling or cutaneous
sensibility lIallucnations and illusions
cau not be distinguished from each
other, rs it is impossible often to tell
whether there is really any abnormal
sensation or not. The various
sensations that some experience
are very dsagreeablc and some
what frightful, is when person
links thar serpcnts are crawling over
i'm, or that frogs have taken lodging
II his stomach. or that birds are in hi.
hest, or dog in his head. A case
which illustrates hallucinalion of sew
raj senses is the following: Aman was
eturning home one moonlight night,
nd was somewhat fatigucl hy his long
Walk All ut once ii seemed TO him rs
he saw Il great animal like Il dragon
oil out OF ditch by the roadside. Hc
became exceedingly afraid, and at the
ame time felt himself painfully
rasped by the right shoulder by the
nimal; nevertheless he could, as he
aid, free himself BY running. Imme-
lately afterward be fell into a disease
of the lungs which affected his entire
right lung and he died IL short time.
The various delusiOns Of the insane.
whether they are in the form of hallu
cinations or illusions, often rendrt
them exceedingly dangerous TO societ,
For instance. q man commanded b.
d God to kill his family, or some neigh
N dor, oi some enc IL, high oiliee. Is nhos
Jas dangerous Il factor TO society II
could be found, A man who think
hat some one is sticking him VIII
nives every night is very likely
ck the person Tho he ilnagines
icking him. A lIap who thinks som
ne is poisoning him IL very liable /
sndeavor to rclal!atc.
1t is a well-knUwn fact that starva
ton will induce hahicinations, an,
'ight is the sense hat is usual
Elected, as is shown by the followin,
xample: A few years ago sever,
umbermen lost their way on the ice o
AXE Ontario, and We're found OH
title island, from which it was Difficult
20 remove them owing to the attractiy
ision of splendid feast and u warn
ire which occupied the minds of thes
,ersons. They had almost reached til
'oint of death from cold and starva
ton.
Two teamsters were lost in the wood
in Montana. Both were saved by th
) pluck of one of them, but he cXpcr
need great difficulty in preventing hi
,omrade from darting into the woods
: where he claimed stooda man with
: ,asket of provisions and q house wit
I. lights from which proceeded the nois
: Of carousal. Pittsburgh Dispatch.